The present disclosure relates generally to a method of providing a user interface for a digital cross-connect system and in particular, to a method of providing a user interface that communicates to a digital cross-connect system using the Transaction Language 1 (TL1) protocol.
Digital cross-connect systems are commonly utilized in medium to large central offices by telephone service providers and other communications companies to electronically connect T1s. The digital cross-connect system connects one T1 to another T1. Many cross-connect system manufacturers provide user interfaces that are text-only, dumb-terminal type interfaces that are reminiscent of early DOS-prompt personal computers. They typically utilize an industry standard mode of communication called Transaction Language 1 (TL1). TL1 only standardizes format and syntax, with the actual commands varying with each manufacturer. Central office personnel may have to work with up to twenty or more different types of telecommunication equipment, each having its own set of TL1 commands. In most cases, it is not necessary for the central office technicians to become experts on every piece of equipment located in the central office. However, a technician that is proficient in a variety of equipment types can quickly provision new circuits, quickly clear network problems and have a reduced need for help from technical support personnel.
Some manufacturers of cross-connect systems have developed graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to make the machine interfaces easier to use. These have proven useful but have also been the source of headaches for many technicians. Usually, the user of a GUI is completely removed from the TL1 interface and is using point-and-click on graphical depictions of the equipment. One problem with this method is that each network element can be configured differently and when a technician begins a session with the network element, the GUI must first retrieve the entire configuration so that it can properly depict the equipment. This can be frustrating for the technician who only needs to perform a brief task or has a major problem that must be addressed quickly. For most experienced technicians the trade-off of speed for usability is unacceptable. Further, the improved usability with a GUI is only realized after a long learning curve. Therefore, TL1 is usually the preferred method of interface by high-level technical support personnel because it is faster, more reliable and requires no special software. In addition, some technicians complain that they do not learn the TL1 interface because of their dependence on the GUIs.